A Need to Touch
by Brigid
Summary: A reunion.


Title:A Need to Touch  
Author:Brigid  
Email:brigidandmike@juno.com  
Rating:[PG]   
Series:Voyager  
Part:1/1   
Synopsis:A father's need to touch his child.  
Some of this will make more sense if you've read   
the preceding story, "A Question on Love."  
Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters. I thank them   
for letting me play with them.  
Date:February, 2003  
  
Thanks to First of Five, Briarrose and Dasia for the beta!   
  
Dedicated to 40th birthdays.  
  
  
A Need to Touch  
  
  
"Kim to Janeway... Captain Janeway, please respond."   
  
The frantic call of her operations officer caused Captain   
Janeway to smile and shake her head. Harry had grown up a   
lot but in many ways he was still the boy she had taken on   
his first mission, seven years ago. They were docked at   
McKinley Station, nothing could be as desperate as his tone   
of voice suggested. Smiling, she tapped the combadge which   
was as much a part of her as her own voice. "What is it, Mr.   
Kim?"  
  
"Captain, I've had a request for someone to transport over   
from the station."  
  
"Are you sure, Harry? No one is supposed to be here until   
0900." Starfleet had promised her crew some privacy before   
the interrogations began and she wasn't about to let anyone   
deprive them of that time. The period of adjustment was   
going to be difficult enough without Starfleet shoving   
people down their throats at this early hour.   
  
Ensign Kim's voice became even more agitated, "It's Admiral   
Paris, Ma'am. He's asking permission to board early."  
  
Kathryn smiled at the anxiety she heard in his voice,   
"Harry, we can hardly tell a Starfleet Admiral no.   
Permission granted."  
  
"But what about Tom, Captain?"  
  
"Tom will be fine, Harry. Tell the Admiral that I will meet   
him in the transporter room in 5 minutes." Kathryn frowned   
slightly as she broke the connection. Tom would be fine,   
they all would be fine, she'd see to it no matter the cost   
to her own agenda. Still frowning she continued dressing and   
made her way to the transporter room.   
  
***   
Tom Paris felt a gentle shaking and slowly opened his eyes   
to see his wife sitting on a chair and looking at him   
strangely.   
  
"Why are you sleeping out here, Tom?" she asked softly.  
  
"Miral was finally asleep and I didn't want to wake her."   
His answer was equally soft as he craned his neck to look at   
his daughter, sleeping soundly on his chest.  
  
"Okay, why are you sleeping on the floor?" B'Elanna was   
having trouble keeping a straight face at the sight of her   
six-foot plus husband sprawled on the floor surrounded by   
the cushions he had pulled from the couch. Their newborn   
daughter was still strapped in the pouch across his stomach,   
sleeping peacefully.   
  
"I'm too tall for the couch."   
  
"Why are all the cushions on the floor?"  
  
"Well, I didn't want to take a chance of rolling over on the   
baby."  
  
"Why didn't you just put her in her crib?"   
  
"She was sleeping better this way," Tom answered from his   
spot on the floor.   
  
"You're crazy, you know that, don't you? Let me have the   
baby, she's getting hungry." Miral's eyes had opened just   
enough to study the situation at hand.   
  
"How do you know she's hungry? She's not complaining." The   
sleepy question muffled up to B'Elanna as she watched Tom   
rub the tiny back.  
  
"I just know." B'Elanna's answer was accompanied by a   
withering stare.   
  
A glance at the dampness seeping through the front of her   
gown reminded Tom that while B'Elanna was probably still in   
some discomfort from the delivery, there was another area of   
distress which only Miral could relieve. He quickly rose and   
unstrapped the baby carrier while B'Elanna found a   
comfortable position in their tiny living area.  
  
Miral knew the routine pretty well by now and found her   
mother's nipple without too much help. Tom remained long   
enough to stroke her downy cheek and to give her mother a   
warm kiss.   
  
"I'd better get cleaned up before the parade of Admirals   
starts," Tom groused as he stretched his arms above his   
head, loosening the kinks that come from sleeping on the   
floor. "Can I get you something before I get in the shower?"  
  
With unlimited replicator rations at her disposal, B'Elanna   
could have asked for anything but all she really wanted was   
a Raktajino. Looking down at her nursing daughter, she   
decided that wasn't such a good idea... "How about a glass of   
orange juice?" she finally answered.   
  
"One OJ coming right up!" Tom answered cheerfully.   
  
He set the glass down next to his wife and paused for a   
moment to watch the miracle at hand. "I can't believe it,   
she's here and we're in the Alpha Quadrant. The whole thing   
seems almost surreal," he whispered.   
  
"Want me to pinch you?" his pragmatic spouse asked.  
  
"Nah, I'll take your word for it," he answered with a grin,   
"I'm getting into the shower."   
  
B'Elanna watched Tom as he went into the small bathroom in   
their cramped quarters. She looked around at the room that   
had been their home for the last year and sighed. *Home, were   
they really home or were they losing their home in a cruel   
twist of fate?*   
  
The familiar surroundings would soon be overrun with   
strangers, Starfleet brass and engineers and technicians who   
would literally take her apart. Their logs would be studied   
to determine how they had performed their duties in the   
Delta Quadrant. The crew would be poked and prodded and   
questioned endlessly. And then they would be separated. The   
Voyager family would be no more. She felt the tears start to   
form and shook her head roughly to dispel them. *We'll be   
fine, we have to be. We've survived the Borg, the Hirogen,   
and hundreds of others, we sure as hell aren't going to let   
Starfleet defeat us.*   
  
***   
Tom emerged from the shower to find his wife solemnly   
contemplating an equally somber Miral who lay in her lap,   
hunger sated and again curious about the world around her.   
He knelt next to the chair and leaned in to comfort B'Elanna   
with a kiss to her cheek. "We'll be okay. It won't   
necessarily be easy, B'Elanna, but it'll be okay."   
  
She nodded in response. "At least we have a little souvenir   
of the Delta Quadrant." Looking at her husband, she gave him   
a genuine smile. He looked like a big kid with his hair   
still wet and tousled from the shower. He wore his gray   
undershirt and his dress uniform pants. Today's meeting with   
the admirals would be in dress uniform, dated uniforms to be   
sure but still worn proudly.   
  
A small frown crossed Tom's face. "I had the strangest   
conversation with Chakotay last night. He asked me how I   
knew I was in love with you."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"No, he was serious."  
  
"Do you think he's in love with Seven?"  
  
"I don't think that's who we were talking about." After a   
pause Tom asked, "What was the first thing you thought about   
this morning?"  
  
B'Elanna looked at him quizzically, "Well the first thing I   
did was reach for you. When you weren't there I checked   
Miral's crib then I came out here looking for the two of   
you. Why?"  
  
"Just checking," was his enigmatic reply.   
  
A soft buzz announced a visitor at their door. Tom   
automatically called "Enter" without taking his eyes off his   
daughter, assuming it was Harry joining them for breakfast.   
A gasp from B'Elanna caused him to look up. In the doorway   
stood Captain Janeway and behind, her Tom's father, Admiral   
Owen Paris. Tom slowly stood and stared.   
  
B'Elanna knew that the next few moments would determine   
whether she loved or hated this man for the rest of her life   
and she felt some fear, gathering Miral to her tightly as   
she watched.   
  
Owen Paris recognized immediately that he was going to have   
to make the first move and, with only a moment's hesitation,   
he crossed the room to where Tom stood immobilized by shock.   
"I had to see.... I had to know ... for myself..." Reaching out he   
touched Tom's shoulder. "My son... my son is home," he   
whispered.   
  
Tom's face was a canvas for his emotions, shock, fear,   
comprehension and finally joy were painted there as he   
embraced his father whispering, "Dad."  
  
Kathryn Janeway watched from the doorway as the two men made   
a stab at bridging the gulf between them. She looked at   
B'Elanna and saw the same emotions as had been on Tom's face   
racing across the younger woman's. But there was also a   
fierce protectiveness in her posture. B'Elanna would let no   
one, not even a Starfleet admiral, hurt her mate. Kathryn   
smiled her reassurance while the men struggled to regain   
their composure.   
  
Tom managed to speak first. Clearing his throat of a   
suspicious lump he asked, "How did you get here? I thought   
no one was allowed on until 0900."   
  
"I've been in Starfleet for 35 years, son. I pulled a few   
strings. In fact my only real obstacle was a young ensign   
who seems to be in charge of your bridge right now."   
  
With a grin, Tom answered, "That would be Harry Kim. He   
plays strictly by the book."   
  
"Well, Kathryn was able to persuade him to allow me to board   
as long as I promised to be gone by 0830." Owen knew he was   
trivializing the situation and that his nervousness was   
showing but he plunged on anyway. "I talked to your mother   
last night, son. She was laughing and crying at the same   
time. Your sisters were coming to stay with her until I get   
back. They wanted to be sure everything was ready for your   
homecoming... "  
  
"Dad," Tom interrupted, "there's someone you need to meet,   
two someones, actually..." he stammered nervously. Putting his   
hand out for B'Elanna, he helped her to her feet while   
expertly scooping up his daughter with his other hand. "This   
is B'Elanna and this... this is Miral."   
  
Owen Paris had been so focused on Tom when he entered that   
he was momentarily surprised to find there were others in   
the room. He stared at B'Elanna for a moment before shifting   
his gaze to Miral and then back to his son. A diplomat at   
heart his eyes returned to B'Elanna. "B'Elanna, I am   
honored to meet the woman who has captured my boy's heart   
and is also reputed to be the best engineer in the Delta   
quadrant."   
  
B'Elanna smiled in embarrassment as she reached for the   
Admiral's proffered hand. He surprised her though by   
withdrawing his hand and pulling her into his embrace.   
"Thank you," he whispered for her ears only. "Thank you for   
loving my son."   
  
Pulling away he reached out to touch the face of his   
granddaughter. "She's beautiful. Miral, I'm honored to meet   
you also. And won't your grandmother be jealous. May I hold   
her?"   
  
Tom looked to B'Elanna for permission. She was still   
fiercely protective of their daughter but her nod was all   
the affirmation he needed to pass Miral on to her   
grandfather.   
  
Owen looked in awe at the pink bundle he held. "When did   
this happen? She's so tiny."  
  
"She's 24 hours old." Tom answered. "I was piloting the ship   
through a transwarp conduit at the time so it's hard to say   
if she was born in the Delta quadrant or the Alpha   
quadrant."   
  
"She's a miracle then, isn't she? On a day of miracles."   
Owen said softly. "We'll just keep this to ourselves until   
you can tell your mother yourself."  
  
B'Elanna knew instantly where Tom got his warped sense of   
humor. These two men were silently plotting a shock for   
Tom's mother and they were already in cahoots about it, she   
could tell from the look on Tom's face. She glanced at   
Captain Janeway who shook with silent laughter at their   
antics.   
  
The announcer brought them all back to reality as Tom   
called, "Enter."  
  
Commander Chakotay stood at the door with curiosity written   
plainly on his countenance. "Captain," he began, "Harry   
seemed quite anxious for me to find you and remind you what   
time it is."  
  
Kathryn Janeway smiled at her first officer, an empty smile   
that never reached her eyes. Tom gave B'Elanna a worried   
look and saw that she shared his concern. Something here was   
terribly wrong.   
  
Her command mask firmly in place, Captain Janeway began the   
introductions: "Commander, I'd like you to meet someone.   
Admiral Owen Paris, this is Commander Chakotay, my first   
officer. Commander, this is Admiral Paris, Miral's   
grandfather."   
  
Chakotay spoke first, "I'm honored to meet you, sir." He   
grinned as he added, "You have a lovely granddaughter."  
  
Admiral Paris smiled, "Thank you, Commander. Captain Janeway   
has nothing but praise for you in her reports. I've been   
looking forward to meeting you."   
  
Chakotay looked a little startled but there was no reason   
for the captain not to mention him in her communications to   
Starfleet. He just found it strange to know that someone was   
actually reading those reports. "Thank you, Admiral. It has   
been an honor to serve with Captain Janeway. We have a fine crew."  
  
Clearing his throat Admiral Paris turned again to his son.   
"Well, I'd better leave and let you finish getting dressed   
before your Mr. Kim has heart failure. I'll be on the   
station when you officially arrive, son. Try to act   
surprised."  
  
"Yes, sir," Tom grinned.   
  
Owen handed his granddaughter back to her mother. "I'm proud   
to add you and your daughter to our house, B'Elanna Torres.   
You bring us great honor."   
  
"Thank you, Admiral. I am honored to be a part of the house   
of Paris." B'Elanna rejoined in an equally formal tone,   
softened by a gentle smile.   
  
The smile was returned as Owen turned to his son,   
"Congratulations, son."  
  
Tom nodded and followed his father to the door. Janeway and   
Chakotay were waiting in the corridor. "Dad," Tom asked   
softly, "what's going to happen down there?"   
  
"There will be a parade for the brass and then there will be   
hearings, probably for a week or so. The admiralty has had   
time to read Voyager's logs so it shouldn't take more than a   
week. Then decisions will be made and people will be allowed   
to go to their homes and families."   
  
"What about the Maquis?" Tom asked urgently.  
  
Admiral Paris glanced at his daughter-in-law and   
granddaughter then back at his son, "It won't be easy, Tom,   
but it will be okay. I promise you it will be okay."   
  
His father's reassurances didn't totally dispel the concern   
on Tom's face but he smiled and said, "Okay... I'm holding you   
to that." With a final smile and touch Owen left to   
accompany Captain Janeway to the transporter room.   
  
Tom stood rooted to the floor, staring at the now closed   
door. He felt warm arms envelop him from the back and the   
comfort they brought broke his reverie.   
  
"Hey, Flyboy, what's a poor lowly engineer have to do to get   
a hug?" his wife whispered.   
  
Turning in her arms he pulled B'Elanna to him in a firm   
embrace, "We're home, B'Elanna. I mean, really home, in a   
place where we can put down roots and raise a family."   
Glancing at their daughter, now laying quietly in her crib,   
Tom realized how badly he wanted roots.   
  
B'Elanna recognized his need as well as her own. "I know,   
Tom. I know." She desperately wanted to believe that this   
week of hearings would exonerate them all and allow them to   
begin this new chapter of their lives.   
  
Sensing her thoughts he pulled her tighter, "My Dad said it   
was going to be okay, B'Elanna and if you can't believe a   
Starfleet Admiral who can you believe?"  
  
Incredulity was on her face as she looked up at Tom. "Don't   
even go there, Thomas Eugene Paris."  
  
Tom laughed as he released her with another kiss, "Get   
dressed, lieutenant. We have a parade of admirals to   
impress, then we've got to find a little piece of earth and   
make ourselves a home!"   
  
T  
H  
END  
*** 


End file.
